Isolation Quotes in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Chapter.Paragraph). We used Reg Keeland/a.k.a. Steven T. Murray's English language translation.

Quote #4

She would fold her arms and refuse to participate in any psychological tests. (9.38)

Salander contributes to her own isolation by refusing to be tested. At the same time, she maintains a certain power. Since she's never participated in the testing, the results are invalid and based only on the fact that she didn't cooperate.

Quote #5

[Palmgren] was not expected to regain consciousness. He was only sixty-four years old. [Salander] neither wept nor changed her expression. She stood up, left the hospital, and did not return. (9.54)

And thus begins a period of extreme isolation for Salander. She gets a new guardian, the sadistic Bjurman, and what happens between them isolates her further from people in general.

Quote #6

In the future, Bjurman would pay her bills, and she would be given an allowance each month. He told her he expected her to provide receipts for all of her expenses. (9.91)

Bjurman immediately sets out to re-isolate Salander by taking control of her accounts. By limiting her freedoms in this way, he can better control her. Or so he thinks….